


Strong Enough to Last When Things Are Rough

by durgasdragon



Series: Ever & A Day [3]
Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-19
Updated: 2020-05-19
Packaged: 2021-03-03 03:53:53
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,113
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24268495
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/durgasdragon/pseuds/durgasdragon
Summary: July has been a long month.
Relationships: William "Dex" Poindexter/Connor "Whiskey" Whisk
Series: Ever & A Day [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1585801
Comments: 8
Kudos: 19





	Strong Enough to Last When Things Are Rough

**Author's Note:**

> Go give Twistedmiracle extra love--beta'ing this turned into a nightmare due to technology being a massive arse and the number hoops they jumped through for this was incredible. Seriously, it was mess and they need so many pies for dealing with that hot mess.

** Strong Enough to Last When Things Are Rough **

_Beta’d by twistedmiracle._

_Disclaimer: This is a purely fan-made piece that is using the world and characters from Ngozi Ukazu’s_ Check Please! _, and is made entirely for enjoyment. No financial gain has been made in the making of this piece. All other situations and plot developments are mine._

 _Summary:_ _July has been a long month._

 _Third in_ Ever and a Day _._

_Author’s Note: Title is a line from Abba’s ‘Take a Chance on Me’; don’t think too hard about the context and you’ll probably be much happier, because the song itself has nothing to do with the story. That line just jumped out at me, and it worked for the title, so we’re going with it. Possible out-of-characterness._

_Constructive criticism and comments are always welcomed._

_Published: 19 May 2020_

_Rating: NC-17_

Connor looks at the clock. Marco is running late, _again_. That doesn’t bode well for his evening. Not that he had anything more planned than doing a few chores and moping around the little studio he is renting with Dex—but it’s the principle of the matter.

Right on cue, Jackie comes in from the back. “So I just got a text from Marco,” she says, a bit apologetically. “His babysitter had another family emergency and he’s having trouble finding a replacement. If I throw in some sort of dinner, could I talk you into staying until closing again?”

Connor stifles the sigh he can feel trying to escape and reminds himself the paycheck will be amazing when he gets it. “I can stay,” he says, resigned. It isn’t like he’ll be seeing Dex tonight, anyhow. _Again_.

Jackie beams, clearly relieved. “Thank you _so_ much. I really need to get that paperwork done and I never would have been able to if I had to watch out here as well. What would you like for dinner? Take-out from Hope’s? Pizza from Gambini’s? Sandwiches from King’s?”

“Hope’s is fine.”

“The usual?”

“Yes, please.”

“Gotcha.” Jackie starts scrolling through her contacts. “And thank you again. I really appreciate your flexibility with Marco’s situation and your willingness to spend the extra time here. It’s a big help.” She heads into the back to place the order.

Connor does let out a sigh when he’s alone again, pushes his frustration further into his mental box, and carefully pulls out his phone so he can quickly shoot off a text to his boyfriend. He knows emergencies happen, but this will be the ninth one Marco’s babysitter has had in the past two weeks and the seventh time Marco couldn’t find a replacement for her. Connor doesn’t know what to suggest, but _something_ needs to be done. Marco’s twins are too young to be allowed to be in the shop while he works and the babysitting pool in town doesn’t have many options to pick from, but Connor isn’t always going to be here to stay late, and there will come a time when he won’t want to for whatever reason. Somebody is going to have to figure out some sort of solution and they had better figure it out _soon_.

Connor tucks his phone away and goes back to his sweeping. _Five more days_ , he reminds himself. Five more days and then things will return to a semblance of _normal_ , because everyone will be back from their various vacations, and he and Dex will _finally_ have a day off together.

July's been hard. He's barely seen Dex; the only time they really have together is their morning runs on Sunday (sleeping in the same bed doesn’t count because Dex is often coming home after Connor is asleep and Connor’s usually leaving as Dex’s alarm goes off). Their schedules are so incompatible it's ridiculous.

The whole situation has been made even worse because June had been amazing. He and Dex had their evenings and every Sunday off so they could spend them together on top of waking up entwined with each other every morning. It wasn't too hot, so Connor got to fall asleep with Dex's strong arm slung over him after they had sweet, energetic sex. They did chores together and Connor had helped Dex do repairs and yard work around their landladies' house. It felt like they were starting to build a life together, and it was one of the most amazing things he had ever been a part of.

On top of that, Connor had started working with Dex's Uncle Nick and had discovered—much to his surprise—that he liked it. He _liked_ teaching. What took him aback was he wasn't bad at it; he might even go as far as saying he was good. He could find different ways to explain things so the kids would understand and he discovered he had a well of patience he didn't know existed when it came to a student who was stumped. It was something he had never thought about before, but now, he was considering it as a possible career path if the NHL didn't work out.

When he mentioned the idea to his boyfriend, Dex had been delighted and excited. "Teaching is some of the hardest and most important work in the world," he said. "Those kids are going to be _so_ lucky to have you! Have you looked at what the requirements for a physical education major are?"

They had spent the rest of the evening setting up a few different four-year plans and it had been fun. Connor was a little behind, but if he made his economics major a minor or double majored it, it wasn't too bad.

July, on the other hand, has Dex baby-sitting for his cousin Teagan while she works a late shift at Dex’s uncle’s convenience store while he is on vacation, on top of his day job on the construction site. If Dex isn’t there, he is at the repair shop, trying to help the family stay on top of repairs while that uncle is also on vacation.

July is also the time _all_ the goddamn parents started to come out of the woodwork. No matter how much Dex’s Uncle Nick tries to shield Connor from the nastiness, there is no escaping it. Kids are pulled from his clinics and workshops to be placed in Nick’s sections (Nick keeps trying to counter it by switching sections at random points so the parents can’t predict who their child will be learning from), and the parents aren’t quiet when they tell each other how they ‘saved’ their children from Connor’s homosexual ‘paedophilic’ tendencies (Nick has thrown out—sometimes literally—numerous parents anytime he catches wind of such talk and then adds a huge ‘shit language and poor attitude’ (SLAPA on all the invoices) fee to their bill). Connor regularly gets told to ‘stop trying to force your unnatural lifestyle on us!’

It would have been less isolating if he could curl up in Dex’s arms at the end of the day, but July also brought with it a terrible heatwave, and even in their basement room with all the fans on, cuddling is out.

It also doesn’t help Dex clearly is trying to make their separation less awful by doing what he can to take care of Connor—he makes Connor a lunch every night so all he has to do is grab his lunchbox and go, and he tucks little sweet notes in each one that only make Connor miss his boyfriend more. He also would make dinner in their slow cooker at least twice a week so there is a meal ready for Connor when he gets home. Dex stays on top of washing their sheets and doing the dishes as well. He made a bookshelf for Connor to put all his comics and a few of his action figures they had gotten from Connor’s former housekeeper (the woman had boxed all his things up for him when she had been told to clear out his room and held them until he could come down to New York City to pick them up; Connor had spent half the journey numb and the other half trying not to cry into Dex’s shoulder so he could focus on driving; Dex had found an empty scenic overview stop and had pulled Connor into his arms). He sends Connor suggestive texts. He calls Connor every night after the kids go to bed to ask about his day.

And it’s sweet and it’s wonderful that Dex cares so much, but it’s no replacement. Connor misses the connection of talking to his boyfriend when they’re in the same room and he misses waking up together. And he _really_ misses the sex.

_Five more days_ , he tells himself again, viciously jamming his broom down on a dust bunny that had rolled away from him twice. _Just five more days_.

To celebrate, Connor’s planned a romantic picnic on one of the scenic trails that runs parallel to the ocean so they can watch the birds (Dex would never admit it, but he utterly adores birdwatching). And after that…they’ll go home and he’s going to drain Dex dry. It's a crass way to think of it, but it's been almost a _month_. Connor's dying and Dex will be lucky if he's able to find the energy to get out of bed once Connor's through with him.

Connor forces his mind out of the gutter; he’s still at work and the last thing he should be doing is thinking about all the things he’s going to do with his boyfriend in five days—in colourful, high-definition detail and with an accompanying verbal soundtrack.

He can’t tell if he’s grateful or annoyed when the bell on the front door dings, signalling a customer; it forces him to put aside his increasingly graphic and lengthening list of what he and Dex are going to do and focus on his job. He turns to greet whomever just entered.

"Oh, hello Mrs Poindexter," Connor says, shoving the mental lid down harder on his box of emotions. "What can I help you with?"

"Your shift is almost over, yes?" She asks, a bit shortly. "Are you free for dinner?"

He blinks, but doesn’t point out that Dex won’t be able to come. "Well, actually—"

"Okay, food's ordered! It'll be here in about thirty minutes. Hi, Aunt Jennifer!" Jackie smiles as she comes out of the back. "What brings you into the shop today? Is it your oven again?"

"Not today. I came in to ask Connor for dinner. I didn't know he was working late."

"Oh, he's doing me a favour by staying until closing. It's super helpful of him!"

"I see." Mrs Poindexter gives Connor a look he doesn't know how to decipher. He honestly can't tell what his boyfriend's mother thinks of him. Sometimes, he thinks she likes him, like when she tries to ply him with extra food, and when she randomly invites Dex and him to dinner, and when she's kicking his ass at Scrabble. Other times, he feels like she doesn't care for him at all; she _still_ won't acknowledge his relationship with her son, she regularly makes pointed comments about how Dex is renting this summer instead of living with his parents for free, and she almost always bypasses Connor entirely to ask Dex something, even if the question should really be directed at Connor. It’s frustrating, because while Dex has assured him he’s doing everything right, he can’t tell where he falls with Dex’s parents. He just wants to know he’s not making things harder for Dex with his family because he doesn’t want to be _that_ person. He can’t be the catalyst for a breakdown in their relationship.

Well, _more_ of a catalyst. Apparently, things between Dex and his brother have always been strained and bringing Connor into the picture has made things worse. And having him here has not made things easier for Dex with most of his uncles, either. Since Connor has yet to meet said brother or said uncles, it’s pretty clear how _those_ situations are going.

“Well, we’ll have to try again at a different time,” Mrs Poindexter says abruptly. “I’ll see you both later.” She turns and walks out. Connor barely manages to get in a farewell before the door shuts behind her.

“You know, if you’d like to go and have dinner with Aunt Jennifer and Uncle Alain, I won’t hold it against you,” Jackie offers a few moments later.

“I already said I’d stay,” he points out. “And you _did_ just order the food.”

“I know, but that was before Aunt Jennifer came in. If you think missing dinner will make problems for you with them down the line, I won’t be upset if you decide to go,” she says earnestly.

“Thank you for making the offer, but imagine how it will look if I suddenly show up now, after I told her I was working late. It would look like I abandoned you after you just said I was doing you a favour. It also says I can’t honour my previous commitments and I’m willing to drop them if I think a better offer has come along.” Besides, it’s not what Dex would do; Dex would stay and help. And since Dex’s sterling work ethic is Connor’s guiding light whenever he’s not quite sure what to do at work, that’s the path he’ll take.

And there’s also the fact Connor’s pretty sure he’s not in an emotionally stable enough place right now to handle Dex’s parents on his own without it ending particularly badly for him and his mental health. Any energy he has left he needs to save to guard himself from the slings of the parents at the ice rink; he can’t afford to spare it for anything else because his supply is rapidly depleting.

“Well, when you put it like _that…_ ” Jackie’s mouth curls up slightly. “Okay, I’ll leave you to it, then! If you need me, I’ll be in the back.”

Connor grabs the dustpan and finishes up the last little bit of sweeping. He’s already dusted all the shelves and all the refurbished for-sale items (an important lesson he learned: Dust before you sweep or you’ll have to sweep again), which means all he’ll have to do for the next few hours is washing the floors (ugh), wiping down the counters ( _ugh_ ), and cleaning all the glass displays ( _UGH_ ), unless the store gets flooded with customers. Since the most Connor has ever seen in the store was five, and four of them were the children of the person picking up their lawnmower, it doesn’t seem likely to happen.

He’s finishing up wiping the last of the fingerprints on the counter when the food arrives. Jackie uses some of the petty cash to pay the delivery guy and she generously lets Connor take a quick break so he can eat first.

After he checks his texts—Dex tells him to call as soon as he gets home and they can have their evening conversation then—Connor does a little math as he forces himself to eat, despite his meagre appetite. With the extra money he would be getting in for working tonight, he could put most of it in savings for emergencies, but he would have enough he could talk to Jackie about putting that refurbished compound circular saw Dex had been surreptitiously eying on hold; it would be the perfect birthday gift for his boyfriend and he wouldn’t have to worry about budgeting for something later.

The rest of the evening is as boring as Connor feared it would be, which makes him want to claw out his eyes, even with Jackie happily putting the saw in the back until payday. He reminds himself—yet again—it’s going to make for a good paycheck and it’ll make him look good so Frank will (hopefully) be willing to hire him again next summer. He wants Dex’s uncle to think that he made the right choice in hiring Connor.

When he finally gets home, he calls Dex. Dex’s voice washes over him, soothing him and making the ache inside stronger. _Five more days_ , he chants again, unclenching his jaw. _Just five more days_.

The week slowly trickles on by and it is not a particularly good one. Connor finally meets one of the absent uncles—by accident because he’s working late to help out Jackie yet _again_ —and it’s a shit-storm. He does overhear Jackie later as she calls to her father when he goes to take the trash out and discovers she purposely overcharged the uncle because he’d been such a dick to Connor (“Dad, I don’t care! He _earned_ that Asshole Tax and I won’t apologise for it!”), so there is that, at least. Three more kids are pulled from the clinics he teaches and the mother had _no_ problem loudly telling everyone else about how her precious little darlings are _safe_ from Connor’s evil, deviant ways now (Nick throws her out and bans her from setting foot inside the rink again, but it doesn’t change the fact two more kids get pulled before the clinic is even over). Connor hears from two scholarships he’s applied to and finds out he’s been passed over for various reasons. He has a nearly constant headache and a low-grade stomach ache. His phone decides to die in the middle of one of his nightly conversations with Dex and then insists on updating the slowest updates possible so he can’t call back (Connor is _not_ in love with his current cell phone plan, but it’s what he and Dex can afford, so he doesn’t complain). The shower breaks and the temperature skyrockets.

Each day, Connor feels more and more like a steam valve on an overheating boiler and if the pressure isn’t released soon…

His upcoming date with Dex is one of the few things that keeps him going.

Even that might have some problems—the weather reports suggest a sixty percent chance of rain and thunderstorms. He tries to be optimistic about it—the last three storms predicted either petered out before getting to them or missed them entirely, so he holds out hope that even if the heat doesn’t break, there won’t be a storm.

And—to be fair—not _everything_ is completely terrible. Dex’s Aunt Karen—who, according to everyone Connor has talked to in Dex’s family, has magic bargain-finding powers (Connor is told if you want something at a certain price-point and she can’t find it within a season, it _doesn’t exist_ )—catches him one afternoon as he’s leaving the ice rink and excitedly tells him that at the church sale she’s helping setting up, one of the ladies is selling her stand mixer she only used once for fifty dollars (high-end, twelve speeds, six quarts, bowl lift, and with a stainless steel bowl and a splash guard); apparently, she took it out of the box, tried it, hated it, cleaned it and put it back into the box, and then promptly forgot about it. There also is an entire set of cake decorating tools (fifty-plus different tips, unused frosting bags, and a spinning cake stand included) for twenty bucks; Karen wants to know if Connor wants her to grab it all for him so he can use them as gifts for Dex. Since Connor knows he’ll never be able to top that kind of deal, he agrees; it’ll make a good themed Christmas gift. She texts him later, and tells him since she had helped so much with the set-up, the church knocked five dollars off of the price, so she is passing the savings on to him.

Connor also manages to smuggle the saw home (Jackie loudly hums Kronk’s theme song the entire time she helps him with it) and he hides it in one of the bins he brought home from college. He’s not quite sure how he’ll get it and the mixer back to Samwell without Dex knowing, but he’ll figure something out.

Finally, finally, _finally_ , the week is almost over. The day after tomorrow, Connor’s going wake up next to Dex, and he’s going to take his boyfriend on a romantic date, and there will finally be some sex in Connor’s life again. Lots and lots and _lots_ of much-needed sex.

Connor’s sleep is more agitated than usual, and he wakes up before his alarm. He feels sweaty and gross, and part of the reason is because one of Dex’s large hands is pressed over his heart. Still, it softens something inside of him that even in this heat and even in his sleep, Dex is reaching out for him; Dex is seeking out contact. Dex still wants _him_.

Connor carefully extracts himself, but he does take a moment to press a quick kiss to Dex’s temple before he slips off to the bathroom. _Twenty-four more hours_ , he reminds himself as he takes something for his headache. He _can_ make it, he’s got to, or else this entire shit-storm of a month would have been for _nothing_.

He feels restless and energy burbles under his skin. To help dissipate it a little, he skates the drills with the kids and ignores Nick’s knowing smirks.

Connor takes his lunch in the glorified closet that doubles as a breakroom and he’s grateful he’s by himself because the note Dex tucked in his lunchbox says ‘ _Love,_ _I miss you so much. I can’t wait until we can be together again. It’s going to be so amazing. I love you_.’ and how the fuck is Connor supposed to get through the rest of the day after reading _that?_ It’s inhumane, that’s what it is, and he wants to tear out his hair.

Nick lets him slip out a bit earlier than normal so he can swing by the bakery and the grocery store before he has to be at Frank’s; Connor’s grateful until Nick throws a handful of condoms at him and tells him to ‘be safe!’ with an exaggerated wink and _that’s_ a level of embarrassment he had no idea existed until this precise moment.

Connor escapes and it isn’t until he’s at the grocery store before he manages to will the blood away from his cheeks. He knows Nick was in the armed forces and crassness is a bit of a bonding exercise there, but does he really have to go that way with Connor? The only thing worse than Dex’s uncle talking about Connor’s sex life would be Dex’s _parents_. He shudders at the thought.

Connor gets everything he needs and hurries to get to the repair shop so he can put everything in the fridge there before his shift starts. Much to his surprise, it isn’t Jackie that’s behind the counter when he gets there—it’s Frank himself.

He slows down. “Hello,” he says. “I didn’t know you were back yet. Did you have a nice vacation?”

Frank shrugs slightly. “Very quiet and relaxing.”

“That’s good to hear. If you’ll pardon me, I’d like to take care of this before I punch in.” Connor gestures slightly to the bags he’s carrying.

The older man nods shortly and Connor hurries to get everything in the refrigerator so he won’t be late.

“Jackie tells me you’ve been a great help,” Frank says abruptly when he comes back up front to find out what he needs to know. “Says you’ve stayed late numerous nights and you kept the front of the shop spotless.”

Connor lifts one shoulder slightly. “Some of those nights were pretty slow,” he says honestly. “There was nothing to do _but_ cleaning.”

“Hm.”

Frank doesn’t add anything else, and after a minute, Connor asks if there is anything he needs to know before he really gets going in his shift. Frank hands him a few completed job tickets so he can call and let people know they can come and pick up their newly-repaired items.

Connor gets to work and Frank disappears into the back. It doesn’t take him long to make all the calls and—faced with the knowledge that the evening is going to creep by even _slower_ than normal—he digs out the duster in an attempt to pass the time.

Connor dusts and sweeps the shop twice in his first hour. Then a few people wander in to pick up their stuff or to look at a few of the refurbished items, but even that doesn’t last long enough.

By the end of second hour, he is ready to start clawing at his eyeballs and his jaw is starting to ache. He’s halfway convinced the clocks are moving backwards, time is moving so slowly. It’s like the goddamn clocks are _mocking_ him.

He washes the glass display cases again out of sheer fucking desperation.

Frank comes back out, tucking his cell away. His eyebrow goes up when he sees at the sparkling display cases and the spotless front of the shop, but he doesn’t comment on either thing. “You’ve been here an awful lot recently,” he says mildly instead. “Why don’t you leave early today and take some time for yourself?”

Connor blinks. “But…don’t you have things to catch up on? I can stay and finish my shift; it’s not a problem.” Also, he knows for a _fact_ time will pass even slower back at the small studio. He’s already losing his mind here; he doesn’t want to think about how bad it will be if he goes home.

Frank waves a hand. “I’ve got it covered. Go, do whatever you kids do for fun these days. I’ll see you on Monday.” His tone—while benign—brooks no argument.

Connor slowly heads to the back to gather his things, the pain in his stomach increasing. Going back to his empty studio sounds less like a reward for a job well-done and more like a horrible punishment. He knows Frank is trying to be nice, but it still stings. He has _no_ idea how he’ll get through the evening now.

He sharply returns Frank’s farewell nod and trudges home, stewing. What a fucking joke today is turning out to be.

He slows down as he approaches the house before stopping for a moment. That’s…that’s Dex’s truck parked in the driveway. He pauses, a swirl of emotions rushing through him, pushing aside his frustration—excitement (Dex is here!), confusion (why is Dex here?), concern (is Dex okay?), and fear (did something happen to Dex?)—before hurrying to the side door that leads to their little studio.

“Dex?” He calls as soon as he gets the door open and there, right at the kitchen counter, is his boyfriend, lighting up the moment he spots Connor.

"Hi, Love,” he says.

"Are you okay?" Connor blurts out before Dex can say anything more. "Did something happen?" He hurries over to Dex.

"Oh Love, no. No, nothing happened," Dex immediately reassures him. "I'm fine. Uncle Paul took the kids for the night. I came home early so I could surprise you. I didn't mean to make you worry." He curls a large hand gently around the back of Connor's head. "I've missed you."

Connor blindly sets the bag he was carrying down and rises up onto his toes so he can reach Dex's mouth. The moment their lips touch, he shudders a little. He stops feeling like he’s going to rupture.

Connor barely lets their mouths separate before he dives back in, eager and urgent. "Dex," he groans, words muffled because he can barely stand to have their mouths apart long enough to form them. "I've missed you. So much. _So much_."

"Love—" Dex tries to say, but it's been a month and Dex is finally here, in front of Connor, alert and strong and hot. Connor kisses Dex with all the desperation and sexual frustration and need that has been building up inside him.

Dex feels amazing.

“ _Love_ ,” Dex gasps out and catches Connor’s hands so they can’t finish undoing his belt. “I know it’s been a while, but I want—”

Connor presses their mouths together fervently and tries to wordlessly communicate his needs.

Dex lifts his mouth out of Connor’s reach. “I want to take you out,” he manages to get out as Connor goes to work on his neck in an attempt to further his case.

“ _Please_ ,” Connor says thickly and hooks his leg over Dex’s strong thigh. “ _Dex_. It’s been a _month._ _Please!_ ” He grinds down and nearly blacks out with how good it feels. It’s been _far_ too long.

“Okay,” Dex murmurs, kissing him slowly. “Okay.”

Then—before Connor knows what’s going on—Dex spins them so Connor is pressed against the counter and Dex is dropping to his knees. Connor’s jeans are unzipped and seconds later, Dex’s mouth is around him.

Connor nearly screams and he bangs the back of his head on the upper cabinets when Dex uses the rough hand that isn’t holding him in place to roll his balls expertly. He tries to bury his fingers in Dex's hair, but it's too short to get a proper grip on, so he fumbles down to his boyfriend’s shirt and holds on.

Dex's mouth is hot and wet and sloppy, and Connor tries to last—really, he does—but that is a battle that was lost the moment he had seen Dex and knew he was okay.

He comes so hard it makes his legs give out. Dex has to catch him and ease him down to the floor.

“Better?” Dex murmurs, gently kissing the top of his head and letting him snuggle up against him.

“Mm, a little bit.” Connor drops one of his hands down and curls it around the heavy bulge in Dex’s jeans. “Now let me help _you_ feel better.”

Dex groans and catches Connor’s wrist. “We have to go soon if we want to get good spots,” he says. “I can wait—”

“I’ll be fast,” Connor promises, gently straining against the Dex’s grip. “You know I can be.”

Then—because he still wants and he knows how Dex feels about his mouth—he flicks the tip of his tongue over his bottom lip.

Golden eyes drop down and watch the movement hungrily, and Dex swallows hard. Sensing his boyfriend is wavering, Connor pulls out the big guns. He slowly draws one edge of his lip into his mouth and bites it carefully, letting his eyelashes flutter down slightly before glancing up from under them.

Dex makes a punched-out sound and Connor knows he’s won.

Still, because he’s _Dex_ and stubborn, he puts up a token protest. “I want to take you out and show you off and be a sappy couple,” he says, even as his grip on Connor’s wrist is weakening and his gaze is fixed on Connor’s mouth. “I know we haven’t…seen each other much recently, but we haven’t gone out on a date in even longer. I _really_ want to take you out.”

Connor feels the drive to please increase and he gently breaks Dex’s lax grip to press his hand up against the front of his boyfriend’s jeans. “Are you trying to scoop me? Because I had a romantic date planned for us tomorrow.”

Dex shudders at the contact. “Not…not intentionally,” he pants, hips jerking up. “We can still do your date, just let me take you out tonight. Uncle Frank even let you out early when I asked.”

“Is that so?” Connor murmurs, leaning in and slowly undoing Dex’s belt.

“ _Please_ ,” Dex gasps and Connor doesn’t know if it’s a plea for relief or for Connor to let Dex take him out and postpone all sex until later. And as much as he just wants to climb on top of Dex and ride that thick dick until he can’t move anymore, there’s something sweet and touching and reassuring about the fact that Dex wants _more_ than just sex from the evening.

So Connor compromises. “You’re in no state for polite company,” he says, lightly kissing him. “Give me five minutes to fix that, then we can go.”

Dex makes a sound in the back of his throat, but he doesn’t stop Connor as he pulls out Dex’s erection.

The sight of it makes Connor want to forget everything else, but he has a mission. He bends over and places a soft kiss right on the tip; as Dex moans, Connor opens his mouth and swallows the whole thing down, his jaw protesting a little at the stretch.

He pulls out all the stops and he only has to do the one trick with his throat, and Dex is coming, hard and messy.

Connor sits back, resisting the urge to drag the back of his hand across his mouth. His restraint pays off a moment later when Dex—eyes dazed and dark—reaches up a bit shakily and rubs his thumb slowly across Connor's lips. " _Love_ ," he breaths thickly, " _Love_."

The ego boost Connor's getting right now is pretty gratifying.

He nips softly at the pad of Dex's thumb before leaning in and kissing his stunned boyfriend. "You said you wanted to take me out?"

Dex blinked slowly, clearly still trying to re-establish connection to his higher thought processes. "Uh…yeah. Yeah, I do." He kisses Connor, but pulls back before either of them can get much more distracted. Awkwardly, he tucks himself away and does up his jeans before getting to his feet. He offers Connor a hand up.

Connor uses it to pull himself right up against Dex's strong chest. Because he can again, he reaches up and draws Dex down so they can kiss a little bit more. _God_ , he's missed this.

Far too soon, Dex steps away. "C'mon, let's go."

Connor's about to agree when he catches sight of the bag of food he got earlier. "Lemme just…I've got to put this in the fridge first, okay?"

Dex presses their mouths together quickly. “Okay. I’ll go out and get the truck started.” He clearly forces himself to let go and grabs a small cooler before heading out.

Connor hurriedly puts the food away and tells his dick to calm down; while he definitely agrees those blowjobs were great but not enough, he can wait. The fact he even _got_ a blowjob at this point in time is already a huge improvement on his situation and he didn’t think he was going to even see that much until tomorrow.

Miss Abigail is sitting on the porch as he heads out to Dex’s truck. “Five dollars off your rent if you kiss!” she calls out, like she always does.

He waves. “We’re not here to be objects of your predatory gaze! Plus, we’re worth _way_ more than that!” he yells back before getting in.

“’Bye, Miss Abigail!” Dex lifts his hand before putting his truck in reverse and they back out before she can argue the point.

“So, where are we going?” Connor asks after a few minutes.

“Well, I’m trying to make it a surprise.” Dex’s eyes flicker over to him before he focuses his attention back on to the road. “So no questions, okay?”

The corner of Connor’s mouth quirks up. “Okay,” he agrees, feeling the warm fluttery feeling in his chest he always gets when Dex is being particularly adorable. He loves how hard Dex works to try to make things special for him and how important Dex makes him feel. It’s the first time in ages he’s felt this good and he has to take a steadying deep breath when he thinks about how it’s only going to get better from here.

He’s definitely going to be showing his boyfriend some proper appreciation when they get home tonight.

Since that is a road he should _not_ be going down in a public setting, Connor distracts himself by asking Dex about his day. It’s comfortable, chatting about everything and nothing at all as Dex drives, and Connor feels a sense of contentment slowly blanket his lust and his jaw relaxes. He still wants to ride Dex from here to beyond and then some, but Dex isn’t his boyfriend just because his cock is fabulous; Dex is his boyfriend because he’s an amazing, interesting, caring person Connor’s hoping will—someday—want to spend the rest of his life with him.

Traffic is starting to get a little heavier when Dex parallel parks next to a park a few towns over. He grabs a long, thin bag he casually tosses over his shoulder before hefting the cooler easily with one hand. Then—with a small, crooked, self-conscious smile—he offers his free hand to Connor.

Connor braids their fingers and feels the happiness spread through his entire body. _God_ , he loves Dex!

They draw a few stares as Dex leads them over the grass, but thankfully, nobody seems inclined to approach them.

Dex seems to have a destination in mind, and he walks with purpose. He finally stops near a tree that’s just off of the footpath and right next to an ocean overlook. “Here looks good, don’t you think?”

Connor glances around. The view of the ocean is decent, but he guesses the actual focus is the bandstand that’s not too far away, draped with bunting and with a banner that says ‘Acadia Youth Orchestra’. The warm happy feeling in his chest grows. “Yeah.”

He helps Dex spread out a blanket and Dex drives a few poles into the ground so he can drape mosquito netting over them, making a little bug-free haven for Connor.

Connor’s feeling pampered and special, and that’s before Dex settles next to him and opens the cooler. Inside, there’s a full picnic spread, complete with chicken salad and sandwiches and a summer fruit salad and a coconut-cream pie.

“I thought this was all spontaneous,” Connor accuses playfully as Dex hands him a water bottle before filling a plate for him.

Dex blushes. “Well, I made the pie last night for tomorrow after the kids went to bed, and the rest…the kids helped with the fruit salad and the sandwiches, and the chicken salad is from Aunt Nora. So…sort of spontaneous? And when I found out the AYO was going to be playing tonight here, I thought…well, I know how much you love live orchestras. It was too perfect _not_ to act on.”

“What are they playing?” Connor accepts the plate gratefully.

“Holst’s _The Planets_.”

“Are you telling me you took me to a live concert overlooking the ocean, with a picnic dinner, so we could listen to _The Planets_ as the stars came out?”

“…Uh, when you put it like _that_ …”

“You’re ridiculous,” Connor says fondly. He leans forwards and quickly kisses Dex, not caring who sees.

Dex's blush deepens, but he smiles. "So I'm not failing in the boyfriend department?"

“Well, let's just say this sort of thing will reflect favourably on you at your next review."

Dex laughs, shaking his head as he serves himself. "Good to know." He settles down and looks at Connor for a moment as if he’s the most amazing thing ever. “So,” he says after a moment, “I think I might have a possible solution to the—”

"Will and Connor, what are you doing here?"

They glance over and Miz Zorah is standing there, a hand on her hip, and an older gentleman next to her carrying two captain chairs. She lifts an eyebrow. "I thought you both were working late again tonight."

"Hey Miz Zorah, Mr Harold," Dex replies easily. "Uncle Paul took the kids, so I got off early and I thought I'd surprise Whiskey by taking him out tonight. Uncle Frank was kind enough to let him out early, so here we are."

A second eyebrow joins the first. "Your uncle let someone leave _early?_ " she repeats and shakes her head. "Will wonders never cease. He really must have quite the soft spot for the two of you."

"He was trying to be nice," Connor says, feeling a bit obligated to defend Dex's uncle's actions, now he’s in a frame of mind to be a bit more charitable.

Mr Harold's eyebrows also rise. "That's a new one—'nice' isn't a word I usually hear applied to Frank Gagner."

“I don't know what to tell you." Connor shrugs. "Because he's been nothing but nice to me."

"Well. I'm glad to hear that." Miz Zorah lets her eyebrows return to normal. "Harold, I know you know Will, one of our current tenants, but I don't think you've met Will's sweetheart, Connor. Connor, this is Harold, my current squeeze."

"Hopefully, I'll be getting that upgrade to boyfriend someday soon," Mr Harold says, but he lifts his hand and touches the bill of his hat. "Nice to meet you. I don't think I've seen you around these parts before. Where're you from and where'd you meet Will?"

"I grew up mostly in New York City, and I play hockey with Dex—Will," Connor corrects himself, "at Samwell."

"Yeah? What position?" The older man gives him a quick once-over. "You look a little small for a d-man, but it's not just about size, is it."

"I'm a forward."

"He's the top scorer on our team," Dex puts in proudly.

"Yeah? You gonna try and follow that Zimmermann kid to the Leagues? Did you get a chance to play with him as well?"

"Harold, you ain't ever going to move on to 'boyfriend' status if you keep talking about an ice sport in the middle of the summer," Miz Zorah interrupts, her prairie dress rippling in the slight ocean breeze. "You can grill the poor boy some other time. Since Will's gone and taken the best spot, we've got to find somewhere else to park. And I'd like to find a good spot before they're all gone."

"Of course." He starts to take the chairs off of his shoulder.

Miz Zorah gives him a look. "We are not," she says, "going to sit next to the boys and interrupt their date. All you'll do is try to talk hockey with them and that will put a damper on their romantic plans. And since you are _not_ on a date with _them_ but with _me…_ "

"Now, you know I would never leave out of a conversation that way,” Mr Harold protests, immediately pulling the chairs back up. “I was gonna ask if they got a chance to see the game last night, and since I _know_ you watched it, you could easily contribute.”

Miz Zorah only narrows her eyes.

Before she can say anything further, a new voice speaks up. “William Poindexter.”

Connor turns and there’s a middle-aged woman standing near the edge of the netting. Connor gets a painful, sinking feeling in his gut because while he doesn’t recognise the woman, he _definitely_ recognises the look on her face—it’s the look just about every hockey mom gets when she finds out Connor is gay before she pulls her kids from his workshops.

_Goddamn it_.

Dex doesn’t seem to notice. “Oh hey, Mrs Tanner, it’s been a while. How’s Tori?”

Her scowl deepens. “Fine,” she snaps. She crosses her arms. “I had heard the ugly rumours about you, but I never believed they could be _true_.”

“I wasn’t aware I was the center of any gossip,” Dex says politely, but his grip tightens momentarily on his plate before he seems to force himself to put it down gently.

Before he can say anything else, Miz Zorah says “Kelly, I thought you knew better than to listen to the rumour mill. According to that, Inga’s cows were impregnated by aliens and your daughter is dating a Satanist. We all _know_ Danny is in that band and that thing in the woods was all just a big misunderstanding over some publicity shots, but it didn’t stop the tongues from waggin’, now did it.”

“But unlike _those_ nasty little lies, _this_ is true!” Mrs Tanner bites out. “William thinks just because he surrounds himself with all sorts of godless and morally bankrupt _deviants_ down at that god-forsaken college of his that he can just come on up here and _flaunt_ his sinful lifestyle!” She fixes her glare on Dex. “How your poor _mother_ must feel, seeing her son like this, after all she’s done to try and raise you _right!_ ”

"My parents taught me the value of love, kindness, and compassion," Dex replies, voice deceptively mild, but his knuckles are changing colours. "As well as to not pass judgement. I'm in no place to tell people how to live their lives."

The woman glares. "When you disregard natural laws as _blatantly_ as you are, you cannot expect people to react favourably! This is a _family-friendly_ space—have you even _thought_ of how your aberrant behaviour could hurt the children?"

Dex clenches his jaw for a moment, but before he can say anything, Miz Zorah speaks again. “Is that what you told your nephew?” she asks. “To think of the children?”

Mr Harold chokes and tries to smother his response with some coughs while Dex makes a strange, strangled noise in the back of his throat.

All the colour drains out of Mrs Tanner’s face. “… _What?_ ”

“Is that what you told your nephew,” Miz Zorah repeats. “To think of the—"

“You are _vile!_ ” Mrs Tanner hisses, looking vaguely nauseated. " _Disgusting_ and _vile!_ How _dare_ you _—_ you’re as foul as _they_ "—she jabs her finger in the boys’ direction—“are!” She spins and marches stiffly off.

“Good riddance to bad rubbish!” Miz Zorah mutters. She looks over at Connor and Dex. “I hope she doesn’t ruin your nice date, but I’m pretty sure she won’t be back to bother you, so you should be able to enjoy the rest of it in peace.”

“…Thank you,” Dex says after a moment, knuckles slowly going from white to their normal colour. Connor balances his fork on the edge of his plate and reaches over. He curls his fingers over a freckled fist in Dex's lap and gently squeezes.

The old woman nods shortly. “Those who live in glass houses and all that,” she says. “Besides, you boys aren’t hurting anyone.” She looks over at Mr Harold. “Well, let’s get going. We still need to find a good spot. Boys, I’ll see you later. Have a good night.”

“It was nice to meet you,” Mr Harold throws in, touching the bill of his cap again. “I’ll see you around.” He hurries after Miz Zorah.

"Wanna fill me in on what just happened?" Connor asks quietly. “Because I’m pretty sure I missed something fairly major in that conversation.”

“Yeah, you did, but you weren’t here when it went down, so you wouldn’t know.” Dex unclenches his fists and lifts Connor’s hand up so he can press a quick kiss to the back of it before he picks up his plate. “A couple years back, Mrs Tanner's nephew got caught up in a drug bust or something, and in the process, it was discovered he had an _obscene_ amount of child pornography. He's doing hard time now because of that. So when Miz Zorah asks if he’s thinking of the children…”

Connor stares. "You're shitting me."

"Nope."

"… _God_. That's…no wonder she was so pissed." Connor snorts and he can't stifle the laughter that bubbles out of him. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t laugh because that’s completely awful, but…I can’t believe Miz Zorah said that to her! I am _never_ going to be able to hear ‘think of the children’ in the same way, ever again!”

“I think I’m going to make her a pie as a thanks,” Dex says. “I mean, it was a bit of a low blow, but—”

“—I’m glad she made it. I’ll help you with that pie because she deserves it.”

The corner of his mouth quirks up. “Okay. Thanks.” He takes a bite of his sandwich.

They both chew in silence for a minute. “By the way,” Connor says. “Did you ever find out why your mother asked me over for dinner?”

“I asked, but she only said something about having too much pot roast.” Dex shrugs. “But I wonder if she’s trying to make amends. I think she’s starting to get worried I’ll go away and never come back if things don’t change. I mean…I haven’t moved back into their house. And I don’t think she expected that. And since you’re clearly not going anywhere…” He shrugs again. “The only way she knows how to make overtures is through food, which is why she was inviting you over for dinner.”

“Oh.” Connor absorbs this. After a moment, he says “you were starting to tell me something before Miz Zorah came over.”

Dex thinks back. and then his brow clears. “Oh, right! So, Zane—you know, Teagan’s eldest son?—he was talking with me and it turns out he wants to open his own day-care center when he grows up. He’s been sitting in on all of his sister’s Girl Scout first-aid classes and baby-sitting classes, so the kid’s got a good starting place.” Dex takes a small sip of water before continuing. "Anyhow, what I'm getting at is you know how you've said Marco's been having troubles finding replacement baby-sitters? Well, Zane's been wanting to cut his teeth with some baby-sitting and he could do it. I know he’s a little young, but Teagan's already said she'd be okay with the twins being at their house occasionally, and she'll supervise Zane so it won't be like anybody will be left to their own devices. So…that could be a solution."

Connor chews thoughtfully. "That might work. Have you talked to Marco about it?"

"I mentioned it when I saw him a few nights ago, but I didn't get a chance to really explain it. Still, I thought I'd tell you so it's out there.”

“Well, let’s hope for the best.” Connor smiles as the orchestra starts warming up in the background.

The rest of the concert passes pleasantly. While it’s not the best rendition of _The Planets_ he’s ever heard, Connor still enjoys it. The kids and the choir are pretty good, there is the sound of the ocean under the music, the sky is mostly clear through most of the concert, and Dex is with him. It’s all made even better because Dex also made them some popcorn he pulls out during the fifth movement so they have something to munch on.

Connor feels like he’s the center of the universe, and he wonders—not for the first time—how he managed to go almost an entire month without this. God, how he loves this boy!

Dex doesn’t linger when the concert finishes. He immediately starts taking down the netting. “I’d like to be home before the storm hits,” he says when Connor asks.

“Storm?” Connor looks up at the mostly clear sky.

“Yeah, can’t you smell it?” Dex glances over as he finishes folding the netting. “Feel it in the air?”

“Unlike you,” Connor replies dryly, shaking any crumbs off of the blanket they’d been sitting on, “I was not raised knowing that sensing a change in the weather could mean life or death, so no. I cannot smell it or feel the barometric pressure changing or whatever.” The one time the weather report might be accurate…!

Dex chews on his lower lip for a moment and then shrugs. “Well, there’s a storm moving in. I’d like to be home and inside before it hits. Let’s hope it will cool things down a bit.”

Connor nods shortly and helps with the rest of the clean-up. Maybe he’ll get lucky and it will be all done by the morning.

It doesn’t take them long and after Dex drops a few bills into a basket the one of oboe players is bringing around, they head back to the truck.

Connor waits until they’ve finished dodging pedestrians and jaywalkers and are back on the road before speaking. “Thank you for this. It was…delightful.” He reaches out and gently squeezes the hand on the gear stick. “I’ve missed you and I really needed this.”

“I figured you might. If you’ve missed me even _half_ as much as I missed you…” Dex shrugs slightly and turns his hand so they’re palm-to-palm. “We’re going to have to think of something for next summer, because I’d rather not repeat the experience, if at all possible.”

Connor glows at the thought that Dex is already planning for their future and there’s no question in Dex’s mind they’ll still be a couple. He knows _he_ wants to be together—for the rest of their lives, if possible—but it always warms him when it sounds like Dex is on the same page. “I’ll bet you come up with something,” he says because Dex will; figuring out solutions is what Dex _does_.

The closer they get to their home, the tighter and hotter Connor’s skin feels. He forces himself to stay on his side of the truck and not to reach for anything beyond Dex’s calloused hand, but it’s hard. He _wants_ , _wants_ with strength and fervour that borders on terrifying, and Dex’s date—while wonderful and sweet and enchanting—has only fanned the flames to new heights.

Silently, he helps Dex bring everything inside and the only reason he doesn’t pounce on Dex immediately is because Dex is still holding the cooler and he knows his boyfriend will insist on emptying it.

But that’s as far as Connor’s patience goes.

Dex straightens and shuts the refrigerator door. “There. Now, I think— _mmphf!_ ” He staggers back into the appliance as Connor jumps him, curling his legs around Dex’s hips and using those wonderfully broad shoulders to balance himself before Connor proceeds to kiss Dex as if the fate of the galaxy relies on it.

Dex makes another muffled sound, but one hand catches the back of Connor’s head and the other grabs Connor’s ass. Connor groans appreciatively and tightens his legs so he can roll his hips sharply.

" _Fuck_ ," Dex gasps, managing to tear his mouth away for a brief moment before Connor remedies the situation.

Dex tries again. " _Love_. Love, let's just _\--_ "

Connor shoves his tongue into Dex's mouth again and grinds down harshly. Pleasure judders through him and he can't think straight. All he knows is Dex is _here_ and holding him up and almost as hard as Connor is.

"Fuck me," Connor mumbles. "You need to fuck me, _now_." He punctuates his demand with another hip-roll and teeth against freckled skin.

Dex shudders, swearing, and then he lurches forwards, haphazardly stumbling towards their bed. He sit down on it hard and rakes his fingers through the longer strands of Connor’s hair as he presses their mouths together hungrily.

They paw at each other’s clothing as they urgently kiss, and then Connor can’t take it anymore. He rips his mouth away and sits back so he can tear off his shirt. Unfortunately, that puts him right on top of Dex’s dick and there’s still _far_ too many layers between them.

Still, he doesn’t stop the slow undulation of his hips in response and it shouldn’t be as hot as it is when Dex makes a punched-out sound and trembles a little under him.

Connor throws his shirt somewhere over the side of the bed and leans forward enough he can brace his hands on Dex’s pecs before he grinds down harshly. His head spins and he gasps for air. Oh god, he needs to be naked and he needs skin contact _now_.

Frantically, he rolls off of his boyfriend and fumbles his jeans off. He kicks his underwear somewhere across the floor and flings himself towards the lube before turning back to Dex eagerly.

Dex has clearly managed to gather up some brain function because he wisely is using the moment to try and strip himself down. If Connor wasn't so desperate to be joined together, he would chirp Dex for attempting to wrestle off his shirt and jeans at the same time.

Dex finally shakes off his jeans and underwear and it's a testament to how badly he wants Connor because he leaves them in a pile on the floor instead of taking care of them.

That stupid little fact nearly does Connor in. Dex keeps his passions tightly controlled and he tends to be very measured about doling it out. Connor can't always get that grip to waver, but when he _does_ and Dex starts letting it overrule his other tendencies…well, let him just say the returns on his investment are _always_ astronomical.

So before Dex has managed peel his shirt off completely, Connor straddles him and nearly cries with how good that freckled skin feels against his. Fuck, _how_ has he made it this long without _this?_

Dex is as still as a statue for a moment, his visible muscles rippling minutely and then he's struggling with Connor to throw his shirt somewhere else. His hips twitch upwards, but he isn't in a position to really thrust like he clearly wants to.

Connor doesn't wait for the shirt to be gone; as soon as Dex's mouth is uncovered, he dives in. Dex makes an aching, pained sound of pure _want_ and a moment later, the shirt is a distant memory as his large hands greedily slide over Connor's back and ass. "Love. Love. _Love_ ," he almost chants between messy, thick kisses.

" _Lube_ ," Connor gasps, unable to decide between groping Dex's chest and clawing up his back. " _Now._ "

" _Beautiful_ ," Dex mumbles and his teeth find the junction of Connor's neck and shoulder, causing Connor to buck. And the friction is good— _so_ good—and he has to jerk forwards again. And again. And _again_.

Dex's fingers abruptly dig into Connor's hips, changing the angle and then his cock is sliding between Connor’s ass cheeks. It’s amazing, but it’s not exactly what Connor needs. He tries to shift so he can rub his entrance against Dex, but then Dex rocks up as best he can with almost no leverage and Connor on his lap, and comes with a small cry.

Oh _fuck_.

Connor grinds down, feeling the wetness on his ass, and comes all over Dex’s perfect abs.

They don’t move for a moment, panting into each other’s skin and dazed with pleasure. But it’s not enough, Connor realises. He’s feeling better than he would after a nice wank, but the blissful lethargy that normally follows a Dex-induced-Dex-inclusive orgasm isn’t settling into his bones. Restless, dark energy is still thrumming under his skin; it’s not as intense as it was, but it is far from gone.

So he tilts his head and mouths along freckled skin until he finds Dex’s mouth. “Dex,” he murmurs. “I need you.” He kisses his boyfriend slowly. “So much.”

Dex makes a small sound and kisses back, mouth sloppier than normal. After a few moments, he eases back and gently cups Connor's jaw. "What do you need me to do?" He asks, his voice still rough.

Connor smiles slightly and presses their mouths together again. "I need you," he says, "to fill me the way I've been waiting to be filled for a _month_." He reached behind him and swirled his fingers in the mess on his back before dropping them down to trace his entrance. "You're going to make me _feel_ it and I—" His breath hitches as he starts pushing a finger inside and he's been so empty for so long it takes him a second to get the air back into his lungs. "—And I am going to remind you of what we've been missing. As many times as we can stand.”

Dex swallows hard. “Okay. Um, don’t open yourself up dry. The lube is right over here.” Awkwardly, he stretches out and fumbles for the bottle Connor had tossed on the bed next to them earlier.

Connor smirks, feeling breathless, and twists his finger. “Who says I’m doing this dry?” He asks, biting back a moan. God, he cannot wait until Dex is back inside him again.

Dex’s brow furrows and Connor can pinpoint the _exact_ moment when he realises what Connor’s doing. Dex draws a sharp breath, his pupils instantly dilate, and his cock jumps. His cheeks turn that adorable shade of rose and the flush on his neck and shoulders immediately stops fading. "You should…" Dex says thickly and he clears his throat. "You should still use some…actual lubricant," he forces out, the fingers that aren't holding the bottle bruising Connor's hip. "Not…not…it's not…semen is not…"

Connor takes pity on Dex and kisses him slowly, stopping the stutter of words. He breaks the kiss off with a gasp as he presses a second finger in. His eyelashes flutter down and then he opens them enough to give his boyfriend a heavy-lidded look. "If you think I should be using something else, feel free— _mmm—_ feel free to do something— _oh_ —about it." He _really_ hopes Dex takes him up on his offer; he _loves_ those strong, calloused fingers touching him and pushing deep inside him _, god_.

Dex closes his eyes tightly. "… _Fuck_ ," he chokes out and he's half-hard under Connor already, like he's trying to break every record out there with his refraction time.

Connor's self-satisfied smirk is interrupted by his boyfriend letting go of him and scrabbles with the lubrication lid. He nearly breaks the lid and he squeezes out too much, but he’s suddenly very focused and Connor suppresses an eager shudder; when Dex gets like this, it’s _always_ a hell of a ride!

Dex barely waits for the lube to be warmed up before he is carefully rubbing his finger around Connor’s entrance. He hesitates for a moment, and then he gently eases his one finger in next to Connor’s.

Connor makes a hungry, breathless sound of approval. Dex’s fingers are longer and thicker than his, and the contrast between them inside of him is profound. He braces his free hand on Dex’s wonderfully broad shoulders and takes a moment to both relish the stretch and to adjust to it. He clenches slightly, just enough that he can really feel the difference. “ _Yes_.”

Dex doesn’t exactly whine, but it’s a near thing.

Connor writhes slowly on their fingers for a moment. "Missed this," he gasps. "Missed you, missed your hands, missed your fingers, missed them inside—"

Dex catches his chin and slowly kisses him. When they part enough to breathe, they are flushed and panting. Connor’s eyes flutter open and he makes a soft sound as Dex carefully pulls his finger out. He watches with eager expectations as Dex hurriedly slicks himself up.

Then—finally, finally, _finally_ —Connor removes his own fingers as Dex guides his hips so they line up. There’s some pressure and then Dex slides gradually in.

Connor clutches at Dex’s powerful shoulders, nearly overwhelmed. He’s so _full_. _Fuck_ , he's forgotten how intense it is to have Dex filling him so deeply. _God_.

" _Love_ ," Dex gasps, face twisting as he clearly tries to fight off an immediate orgasm. " _Perfect_ … _amazingly_ … _fuck_."

Connor completely agrees. " _So_ full with you, stretched _so_ wide for you, _so_ _much_." He pulls Dex's teeth to his neck so he can get even more marked up than he already is. " _Dex._ "

Dex rocks up as best he can, but he still isn't in a position to really thrust, not without letting go of Connor or tumbling them so Dex’s on top, so Connor's going to have to most of the work.

He hopes his legs are up for it because they feel pretty shaky right now. He shifts them a little bit and nearly sobs as he slowly lifts up. He barely waits before he drops back down, startling a cry out of his throat.

Dex's fingers dig in to the other boy's thighs hard enough Connor knows he'll have some dark bruises there later, but before he gets time to revel in that, Dex shifts his hands and slows Connor's hips down. Their eyes meet and time stops and stretches out between them.

_FUCK_.

They don't so much as find a rhythm as they synchronise their desires and Connor starts rolling his hips forward to meet Dex's upwards rocking. It's quieter than Connor has been envisioning, but it's more consuming. He blinks away wetness a few times as the box where he’s shoved everything the last few weeks cracks. He kisses Dex because he's so close to being overwhelmed as emotions rise up in an inexorable wave. His boyfriend's mouth drives him higher in a familiar fashion, but it also grounds him and keeps him from losing himself completely.

“Beautiful,” Dex murmurs between messy kisses. “Stunning. Amazing. Gorgeous. _Incredible_.”

Connor responds with a litany of variations of ‘faster, harder, now, _good_ ’ as he fights the swell of sentiments that have only grown with every movement of Dex inside of him.

He doesn’t know how long they continue like that, but his leg muscles are starting to burn when Dex finally starts to lose control and pulls Connor down harder and rocks up more forcefully. Connor responds by pressing back faster and letting his verbal filter vanish.

Dex makes a pained noise of devastating pleasure that’s muffled by the Connor’s tongue, and then he’s coming.

Connor shudders at the sensation and reaches down to finish himself off as Dex slumps against him, panting. It doesn’t take much before the pleasure and the escaped feelings crash into each other, and he whites out as he comes.

Dex is softly nuzzling against him and placing sweet little pecks on any bit of skin he can reach as Connor slowly comes down from his orgasm.

"You're shivering," Dex whispers. "Are you okay?" Ignoring the mess between them, he wraps his arms around Connor and pulls him even closer into his warmth. He makes a soft, soothing sound.

Connor cuddles in closer and breathes in. He doesn't know what to say. He’s still trying to recover from the tsunami of emotions he just had.

"Love?" Dex sounds concerned. "Love? Talk to me. Are you…is everything okay?"

Connor nods. "It's just…I haven't…I really needed…just hold me? For a moment? Please?"

Dex doesn't use words, but he tightens his arms, a silent acknowledgement and a promise rolled into one gesture.

Connor doesn’t know how long he clings to Dex as he comes down slowly. He feels an odd mix of being emptied and blissful, but it’s finally smoothing out to a sublime serenity. For the first time in ages, he’s where he belongs, safe and loved.

He lifts his head and curls a hand around the strong line of a freckled jaw. Dex still looks worried, but he follows Connor’s urging and gently kisses him.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” he asks a moment later when their lips eventually part.

“Yeah,” Connor says. “I just…I guess I didn’t realise how badly I need that—how badly I needed _you_. I…wasn’t prepared for how…intense it was and how strongly I was affected.” He buries his face in the freckled curve of Dex's neck. "I missed you," he mumbles. "I… _really_ missed you."

"…You know that I could’ve found someone else to take the kids for a night, if…you know…you needed me to. You didn't…you could've told me if…you needed me to. I would have.” Dex bites his lower lip awkwardly, but his eyes don’t waver from Connor’s face.

“I know.” And he _does_ know. Dex would do just about anything he asked, and he finds the power in that knowledge to be equal parts thrilling and terrifying.

Dex studies him for a moment. “You’re the most important thing,” he says. “If…things…are getting to be too much for you, you just have to say the word.”

He kisses Dex slowly again, trying to let his actions express what his words cannot. Honestly, he knows he’s been bottling up his emotions in an attempt to cope with everything, but it isn’t until his mental box is exploded open and everything has dissipated that Connor understands just how badly the pressure had been building and how much he really needed this.

Dex seems more reassured when their mouths part a little bit later. He carefully pushes at Connor. “Okay, up. Things are getting a little gross and I can’t stand up until you do. Let’s go rinse off—”

Thunder rumbles.

“—Or not,” Dex amends. “Just wait a moment and I’ll get us cleaned up.”

Connor can’t tell if the temperature has dropped or if he’s just feeling the absence of Dex’s warm arms, but the air is chilly as he forces himself to get off of Dex’s lap. His legs feel shaky and fragile under him and he has to remind himself he can’t sit on the bed right now because he’s covered in semen.

He turns on the bedside lamp and puts away the lube while Dex lopes over to the bathroom, all long, loose limbs, and Connor feels a twitch of interest before his libido gives up; it's still too close to the intensity of the previous orgasm.

There's a sound by the bathroom door and Connor glances over. Dex's eyes run over him. "You're so beautiful," he says, quiet and reverential. "How did I get so lucky?"

"You're not half as lucky as I am," Connor replies, just as quietly. He stretches up and curls his hand around the back of Dex's head the moment he's within reach. Ignoring the mess on their skin, he rises up onto the balls of his feet so Dex doesn't have to bend down as far.

Dex shakes his head and it's clear from his face he thinks Connor is completely wrong, but he doesn't argue the point out loud. Instead, he kisses Connor, thoroughly and adoringly. Connor’s eyelashes flutter open when Dex steps back and hesitates for a moment before swallowing hard and gently starting to clean up the drying mess on Connor’s skin.

He shoves Connor towards the bed affectionately. “I’ll be right back, okay?”

“’Course you will—I’d get cold otherwise.”

“We can’t have that, now can we.” Dex’s mouth quirks up, but Connor doesn’t get to enjoy it because he heads back to the bathroom.

Relishing the fact he’ll be able to actually fall asleep in Dex’s arms and then not promptly die from overheating, Connor quickly pulls on a fresh pair of underwear. He also takes a moment to take care of their scattered clothing because the disorder will keep Dex awake and it’s something he can do for Dex.

Dex thanks him for tidying up as he gets into their bed and wraps himself around Connor. “You spoil me.” he says before kissing his favourite spot behind Connor’s ear.

“Look at who’s talking!”

“What?”

“You made me lunch, every single day!”

“You’re the one who made me coffee every morning and not only did you make it, you put it next to my phone so I didn’t even have to get out of bed to have some,” Dex argues.

“You made dinner.”

“You cleaned the bathroom.”

“You did all the laundry and dishes.”

“But you did all the shopping and kept on top of all the bills.” He nuzzles Connor gently.

Connor shifts a little so Dex can have better access to his neck. "Yeah, well, you did all the yard work and repair work to keep our rent low."

"You helped," Dex points out. "And I know for a fact Miss Abigail knocked off twenty bucks for that time you—"

Connor grabs his pillow and tries to smother his boyfriend so he'll stop talking. "That was an _accident_ and I may never recover from the experience!"

Dex laughs and rolls Connor under him so he can use his superior body mass to his advantage. He yanks the pillow away. “We all have to take one for the team sometimes,” he says, still laughing. “My turn was last month—it’s only fair you get a turn as well! I can’t be the _only_ one!”

“What I do and put up with to save a few bucks,” Connor grumbles, but stops trying to wriggle out from under his boyfriend. He takes a moment to enjoy Dex’s weight and shifts his legs so Dex can settle more firmly on top of him. “Well, at least it was for a good cause. And it _was_ less embarrassing than what happened to _you_ —”

Dex whacks him with the pillow, but immediately follows up with a slow kiss. Connor goes a bit limp, too happy to even put up a pretend fight. He loops his arms around Dex's neck and basks in Dex's warmth.

They make out, easy and quiet, and Connor feels a lazy arousal build slowly in his gut. He ignores it; as much as he would enjoy indulging it, there's something peaceful about simply appreciating each other again.

When Connor accidentally yawns into a kiss, Dex pretends to be offended, but gently coaxes Connor up. “You’ll be happier if you brush your teeth,” he says. “Then you can fall asleep guilt-free.”

Connor grumbles, but reluctantly disentangles himself. He doesn’t linger over his nightly ablutions and as soon as he can, he snuggles back up against Dex.

Dex wraps himself around Connor and it’s exactly what he needed. He falls asleep quickly, even with the thunder, and it’s the best sleep he’s had in ages.

Connor’s alarm goes off at its usual time and he takes a great amount of pleasure in turning it off before settling back down into Dex’s warm embrace. The room is darker than usual, but since he can hear it’s still raining pretty hard, it’s not surprising. He hopes it will finish raining soon. If it does, it can start drying out a bit. Having a dry place to eat lunch and not having to wade through mud to get there would be ideal.

Dex sleepily tightens his grip and tries to pull him closer before relaxing back into deep sleep.

Connor decides he’ll worry about the rain later.

He burrows in closer and allows himself to luxuriate in the joy of dozing back off, wrapped up with Dex.

Dex’s alarm goes off some time later and Connor grumbles as Dex lets go of him to deal with it. He brushes his lips against Connor’s forehead, mumbling something that could pass for a greeting. He pulls Connor in closer and sighs softly. “Love,” he mutters.

Connor feels like he’s overflowing with affection and happiness, and he tilts his face upwards. A moment later, Dex takes him up on his invitation and they kiss slowly.

“Hi,” Connor whispers when they eventually part.

“Missed this,” Dex murmurs. “Missed falling asleep with you, missed waking up with you. Missed _you_."

Connor doesn't answer in words.

They break away a few minutes later and Connor cuddles in as close as he can. Being able to snuggle up against his strong boyfriend and not die due to sweat and heat is wonderful.

It's warm and quiet as they simply enjoy each other's closeness. Connor hasn't realised how much tension he's been carrying around until this moment, when it's all vanished. The difference is staggering—he doesn’t have a headache, his jaw isn’t clenched, and his stomach doesn’t hurt. 

“Did you have anything time-sensitive planned for today?” Dex eventually asks, lazily petting Connor’s back.

“Not really, but I was sort of hoping to have our date outdoors.”

Thunder rolls and Dex shakes his head a little bit. “I don’t know that’s going to happen. It sounds like this is here to stay. I can check to make sure,” he offers.

“No, I’ve got this.” Reluctantly, Connor sits up and grabs his phone. “I knew this might be a thing from all the weather reports, but considering how inaccurate they’ve been recently, I was kind of hoping it would be the same for today.” He pulls up the weather and the radar shows waves of storms rolling through the day, maybe stopping sometime in the afternoon.

Just to be safe, he pulls up the website for the trail he wanted to take, and there are warnings posted about parts being washed out, so the park service has closed them until further notice.

“Well, it doesn’t matter, either way,” he sighs, putting his mobile back down. “I was going to take you down to the cliffs so we could have a picnic and watch the ocean birds, but it seems that’s not in the cards for today.”

Dex shifts into a sitting position. “That’s too bad—that sounds like a nice afternoon.” He leans in and gently brushes his mouth against Connor’s shoulder. “But today doesn’t have to a _total_ loss—we could…stay in.” He kisses another spot, this one a bit higher. “Turn off our phones.” A soft kiss to the junction of Connor’s neck. “Watch a movie or…” Connor tilts his head to make it easier as Dex presses another kiss to his neck. “Something. Just the two of us.” A large, calloused hand slides over Connor’s abdomen and rests low on his stomach, Dex’s pinkie playing absently with his waistband of his trunks. “There are…options.” Dex kisses the corner of Connor’s jaw.

“You make a good point,” Connor says, voice already starting to get low and hungry. He reaches up and behind him a little bit so he can catch the back of Dex’s head and play with the short hairs there. “Plans should be… _flexible_.”

“Mm, glad you agree.” Dex twists so he can help ease Connor back on to the bed. He braces his arms next to Connor’s head and their mouths meet warmly.

When Dex pulls back slightly, Connor grins, a bit mischievously. “Want to see if we can’t make today even better than that day after winter break?”

Dex blinks before laughing loudly. “Oh, you’re _on_. Challenge _accepted!_ ”

He joins in Dex’s laughter as he loops his arms around Dex’s neck, and feels his heart swell. July had been a hard month, but they had survived it and maybe even came out stronger than they had before. And with Dex in his arms, clearly as happy to be with him as he is to be with Dex, Connor almost thinks it was worth it.

July was rough, but they made it through together and that’s what matters.

_x Fin x_

**Author's Note:**

> Constructive criticism and comments are always welcomed.


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